Diols and unsaturated monomers

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel composition of diols, said composition of diols comprising HO--(H.sub.3 C)R.sup.4 C--Q--CR.sup.5 (CH.sub.3)--OH wherein Q is a diaryl group comprising two aryl groups linked together directly (as in biphenyl) or bridged by an oxygen atom, sulfur atom or methyl group, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl groups (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl, most preferably methyl). The diols will usually be provided as compositions which comprise either: a solution of the diols, with the diols comprising more than 99% by weight solids of the solution, and whichdiol has less than 1% by weight of impurity selected from the group consisting essentially of monoaryl hydroxy compounds, especially monoaryl monohydroxy compounds, and monoaryl dihydroxy compounds where only one hydroxy group is attached directly to the aryl ring. The present invention also relates to a method of providing the novel composition of diols, said method comprising the processes of: 1) providing a solution of diol having the formula HO--(H.sub.3 C)R.sup.4 C--Ar--Z--Ar--CR.sup.5 (CH.sub.3)--OH, or HO--(H.sub.3 C)R.sup.4 C--Q--CR.sup.5 (CH.sub.3)--OH HO--(H.sub.3 C)R.sup.4 C--Ph--O'Ph--CR.sup.5 (CH.sub.3)'OH wherein Q is as defined above, Z is a bond or --O--, --S--, or a methine group (such as --CH2-- or CHRO.sup.0 --, where R.sup.0 is a substituent group such as lower alkyl, alkoxy, halogen, or the like), Ar is an aromatic group, especially a mono-ring aromatic groups, nd especially phenyl groups, and R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl groups (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl and butyl), said solution also comprising impurities selected from the group consisting of the monoaryl hydroxy groups (as defined herein); removing at least some of said monoaryl hydroxy impurities which comprise monoaryl phenolic compounds.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.